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Saturday, June 30, 2012

This website is pathetically low on Hawaiian names, but Hawaii is a part of America so it's the perfect time to profile the name of it's most famous goddess.

Pele (pronounced "PEY-ley") is the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes, lightning, wind, fire, and dancing. The name's meaning is unknown. It is believed that she lives in the Halema'uma'u Crater at the summit of Kilauea, one of the earth's most active volcanoes. But she still manages to control all volcanic activity on the big island of Hawaii.

There are many reported sightings of her around the volcano. She may appear to people as a beautiful young woman, as a crone accompanied by her white dog, or as a being made from fire. Her personality is much like the volcanoes she presides over: unpredictable, inpulsive, and quick to anger. Despite this, the Hawaiians regard Tutu ("Grandma") Pele not with fear but with great respect. When lava destroyed part of the village of Kalapana in 1986 a resident said," I love my home; lived here all my life, and my family for generations. But if Tutu takes it, it's her land." There are no shrines for Pele as they are easily destroyed by lava.

There are many different legends regarding how Pele first came to Hawaii. It is believed that she came from Tahiti, much like the natives of the Hawaii. Some say that she was exhiled for her temper and ambition, or for seducing her brother-in-law. The wife of this brother-in-law was Na-maka-o-Kaha'i, goddess of water. There are many instances in which this elder sister tried to kill Pele. Every incident of volcanic activity in Hawaii is believed to be Pele's way of expressing her longing for her true love. However, she is fickle and has a tendency to kill her husbands. The Pagan religion was officially banned from Hawaii in 1819, but that did absolutely nothing to destroy worship of Pele. No matter how superior the missionaries felt their faith was, the native's love of their goddess was simply too great.

However, if you're from other parts of the world, Pele might scream "soccer" instead. Pele (pronounced "pey-LEY" in this case, I think) is the nickname of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, a legendary soccer player from Brazil. Some regard him as the best soccer (football to everyone else in the world) players of all time and is a national hero for his home country. So there are certainly those that would be more inclined to think of Pele as a boy's name instead of a girl's name. He got his nickname as a child when he mispronounced the name of his favorite soccer player, Bile.

Despite the wonderful stories and the lovely sound, I'm not surprised that the name Pele isn't used all that much. Pele is a creater/destroyer goddess. That means that she represents drastic change. She's very unpredictable. Even Neo-Pagans tend to be very wary around this type of energy. So I don't think Pele will be given to that many children. Then again, lots of people use Kali, so who knows.

Pele is an exotic and daring goddess name that is not used very much at all. On the right person it could be fantastic.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Continuing on with our strange and unique American theme week, this next profile is inspired by an author.

Flannery (pronounced "FLAH-neh-ree") is an Gaelic unisex surname that originally appeared in documentation as O Flannabhra. It's derived from the words flann, "red," and abhar, "eyebrow." This is why the meaning is often listed as "russet hair." Variations include O'Flannery, Flanary, and Flannary. Flannery is one of the few names to have a motto along with their family crest. It reads: "May the tree flourish in heaven," which most likely started off as a slogan or war cry.

There are plenty of namesakes with Flannery as a surname, but there is only one famous bearer who used it as a first name. Mary "Flannery" O'Conner was an American writer well known for her grotesque themes. Her two novels and many short stories and essays had flawed human characters and often dealt with morality. She was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, which might have influenced her macabre writing (Savannah is believed to be the most haunted city in America). She was very smart and had a sardonic sense of humor.

I'm actually shocked that Flannery isn't more popular. It is so perfectly in trend. It's an Irish surname (like Donovan and Sullivan) that has an "ee" sound at the end (like Avery and Hailey). People should be clamoring over it. Because of the author, many Americans might associate it with the South. But it suits both genders equally.

I think I would have to pick up some of O'Connor's writing before I include it into my favorites. I think you should always research the most famous namesake. But Flannery is a wonderful name. It's unique for the time being, but it fits in marvelously with today's popular names.

Tomorrow, I fly away. So starting tomorrow, the scheduled posts are supposed to come out. Let's hope this works! And I will return with many name goodies from Spain!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

That President's name test died a horrible death after Barack Hussein Obama was elected. You know what I'm talking about. The "use a name that White rich males will take seriously if you want your son to be successful" test. Thank the gods that that was proven to be bullshit.

Barack (pronounced "bah-RAHK") is a multiligual name. The origin the President's parent's intended is that it's a variant of the Swahili name Baraka, which comes from an Arabic root word and it means "blessing." He was named after his father who is from Kenya. The name is apparently popular in East Africa.

Barack is often said to be a variant of Barak, a Hebrew name meaning "lightning." This is technically incorrect. However, I think that they're so similar that they could reasonably be considered variants of each other. There is a character named Barak in the Bible. He was the military general that commanded Deborah's army.

Despite the presidental namesake, there wasn't exactly a boom of babies named Barack or Obama in America when he was elected. There were a few, but there were far more Obama inspired baby names in Kenya. Also it appears that most of the people inspired to name their children after the President were African immigrants, which is hardly surprising. It's a far more familiar name to them, for one. But the American tradition of naming children after the current president faded after Watergate. We are now far more cynical of our own government.

But I do love that the President has a name that reflects the diversity of the country. I don't want to get into politics here very much at all, that's not what this blog is for. But having the very Arabic name Hussien didn't even hold him back at all. It inspired some nasty comments and rumors, but it didn't stop him from being elected.

Some Americans might feel more inclined to use his name after his presidency. In the meantime, it's a great reminder of how far we've come when accepting people with unusual monikers.

The next profile in my strange American names theme week proves that you can find name inspiration anywhere.

So a few days ago I was looking up art prints (because I can never have enough art prints) and this particular website had a collection of art inspired by each state motto. For example, New York's motto is "Ever Upward," Missouri's is "The Welfare of the People Shall be the Supreme Law," and so on. I look at the one for Washington state...and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what they were getting at. There weren't any recognizable letters there at all. So I had to google it. And I learned that the state motto for Washington is...Alki.

When I mentioned this to my mother she said, "Alki? As in Alki Beach? That's by Seattle." Jutting out into the Puget Sound, Alki (pronounced "AHL-kiy") Point was were the White settlement that became Seattle was originally. In fact, there was a point where they were seriously considering renaming the town New York Alki. But the, wisely in my opinion, they decided to go with Seattle. Alki Beach has been a popular place to hold outdoor music concerts since the early 1900s.

But what the heck does Alki mean? It's actually a Native American expression from the Chinook language. The Chinook were yet another coastal tribe, but they lived further down closer to what is now Oregon, so I'm not sure how the White settlers were familiar with this word. The tribe was encountered by the Lewis and Clark expidition, so it's possible that they might have recorded it. Alki literally means "bye and bye," but other interpretations include "I will see you bye and bye," "into the future," and "hope for the future." The early settlers liked it so much because they hoped that their little settlement would grow to become the Western New York City.

I love the meaning more than the sound or look of it, to be honest. It certainly doesn't look like any name that is trending today. I don't dislike it, but for me personally I would pick it as a meaningful middle name rather than a first name.

But if I saw it as a first name on someone else's child, I would love it. It's a great pick for someone with a strong love of the Pacific Northwest.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

So last year I had a theme week for unusual and strange American names for leading up to Independence Day. It was quite popular so I would like to repeat that this year. However, I've hit several road blocks. Not only is the moving process still going slowly, which you already know about, but I'm also not going to be in my home country on July 4th. I'll be in Madrid for a week and a half being with my family celebrating my cousin's wedding. I told you my life was insane right now. But don't panic! I'm working as hard as I can scheduling posts for when I'm gone. So even if I'm not here, there's new posts here. To start of our strange American theme week, I'll cover the name of a place that's dear to my heart.

Seattle (pronounced "see-AH-tul") is a city in Washington named after Chief Seattle. Seattle's actual name Si'ahl, and I haven't found any explination for what it means. Some list the meaning as "reconciler" or "wisdom," but they might be letting the legacy of it's most famous bearer confuse them.

Seattle was born sometime around 1780. He belonged to two tribes because his mother was Duwamish and his father was Suquamish. One thing that was physically striking about him was that he was six feet tall, which was unusual for Native Americans in Pacific Northwest area. He also had a loud speaking voice and was a great orator. He earned an early reputation for being a great leader and warrior, defeating many enemy raiders. As was the custom at the time, he kept slaves from these raids. He had two wives (the first died after the birth of their daughter) and eight children total.

What Seattle will be remembered for is the kindness he bestowed to White settlers. He negotiated peaceful relations between the tribes and the settlers that benefited both groups. Seattle was baptized and given the name of Noah Seatlh. Whether or not he considered himself Catholic is a bit of a debate. There is a famous speech attributed to him about environmental values and civil rights, but historians are unsure whether the speech ever actually took place. When he died he was about 80 years old. There is a very famous photo of him in which he fell asleep during the taking of the photograph (well, you know how long cameras took back then).

The settlement of Seattle (originally called Duwamps) grew, and now has a big history of boom and bust cycles. The coming of the railroad and the Alaskan gold rush were prosperous times. In 1962 the Seattle World's Fair took place and left the Space Needle as a souvenier. Seattle has a reputation for being a bit of a hippy city nowadays, but it's also the headquarters of Boeing, Microsoft, and Starbucks, and Jimi Hendrix's hometown.

Seattle has never been on the American top 1,000. But I can easily see it appealing to the same people who like Aspen, Cheyenne, and Dakota. It has been given to girls in the past, Seattle Suttons was famous for inventing a diet plan.

Seattle has the unique ability to be both rustic and Western sounding, but also hip. I'm actually surprised that there aren't more little ones with this name.

P.S. The spellchecker is being a whiny little jerk again and not working. So these posts might have a few typos.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Blessed Litha, Midsummer, Summer Solstice, or whatever you want to call it! I hope our friends south of the equator are having a Blessed Yuletide! Heather is the Celtic tree for this holiday, and it's a lovely name as well.

Heather (pronounced "HEH-ther" or "HEH-dher") is derived from the Old English haddyr, and as far as I can tell it has always been in reference to the plant. Heathers aren't really trees, they're more like shrubs. They're well known for their purple flowers, but they also come in white, red, and copper. The plant's Celtic name is Ura (pronounced "OOR-uh"). Technically, it's proper scientific name is calluna, but no one calls it that in casual conversation. It is a hardy plant that can pretty much grow anywhere, but it is not welcome everywhere and is considered an invasive species in some parts of the world.

Heather was sacred to the Druids and has many magickal uses. It is a goddess herb sacred to Isis,Venus, Cybele, and Guinevere to name a few. Heather can be used in magick regarding maturity, love, luck, conjuring ghosts, healing, rain-making, and consummation. It's used to make talismans that protect against violent crimes like rape. Some believe that Heather Pixies live in this plant. They can be mischievous but are drawn to shy humans. Red heather historically has the most negative connotation because it was believed that they were stained red by the blood of heathens killed by Christians in battle. However, red heather is good for love spells. White heather in particular is associated with the dead. This plant has a strong relationship with bees. The Danes brewed beer made from honey and heather, and today heather honey remains popular. Heather also has a strong relationship with Scotland. There it is an iconic plant often sold as charms. Heather represents solitude because it thrives in wide, open spaces. It can be especially powerful when used with mistletoe, the sacred plant of the Winter Solstice.

This plant has many practical applications. Heather is a valuable resource for farmers who can use it for fodder, roofing, tea, and dye. Heather thrives on barren land and makes soil healthy and fertile. There was a time when this plant was hated to to this association with rural poverty. Nowadays it's a very popular ornamental plant. If you're interested in herbal medicine, only the flowering shoots of the plant should be used. You can use it to treat stomach aches, insomnia, and skin problems. Heather tea is slightly diuretic and is sometimes used to treat urinary infections.

Heather as a name may sound a bit dated to Americans. It's peak was during the 1970s at #8. It's not completely out of the charts, it now rests at #708. It fares a bit better in Scotland and Ireland, in 2008 it ranked at #86 and #91, respectably. But it will seem a bit momish to a lot of people in the United States. Aside from the plant, the name also describes a color. Heather is a light, grayish purple. Despite the "-er" ending, I don't see any evidence that this has ever been used for boys. However, the Heath can be used.

Despite it's potential for sounding slightly "old," I really like this name. I have actually never met anyone named Heather (although I know there's a lot of actresses with this name), so it feels new to me. It's a good name for someone who wants a name that's familiar but not overdone.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Sorry that this blog has been so neglected lately. I hate it when bloggers make long-winded apologetic posts about why updates are slower, but I feel like you all deserve an explanation. I'm in the process of moving. Not the blog, it's staying where it is. I mean in real life. I'm moving to a new apartment. Also, work has doubled my hours. That's why things have been quiet here, because real life is a bit insane for me right now. But I'm trying.

I received a request from Lori for Jameson, and she wanted something beyond "it means son of James." Unfortunately, I don't know how much I can add to that but there is something potentially interesting that I will get to later. In the meantime, I figured that I could profile James instead.

James (pronounced "JAYMZ") is an English name with a complicated origin. It comes from the Latin name Iacomus, which in turn is derived from the Greek Iakobos, which comes from the Hebrew Ya'aqov. This would make James a relative of Jacob, as they are both derived from the same source. The meaning is often listed as "he who supplants," but others say it means "heel." The later comes from the Biblical story of Jacob who was born grabbing Esau's heel.

James is the name of a few important characters from the Bible. It is used by two apostles: Saint James the Greater and James the Lesser. Saint James the Just is believed to be Jesus' brother. So it's probably not surprising that it is so traditional. James is pretty much accepted as a staple name of English culture, but more Scottish royalty had this name. It is also well used in American culture, as it was the first name of six presidents. To some Neo-Pagans, James might have a bad connotation because of King James (who wrote the "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" version of the Bible) but I kind of doubt that that would cross most people's minds as the name is so widely used. There are literally tons and tons of namesakes for James.

James has never left the top 1000 in the United States. Its peak was during the 1940s at #1. It's current rank is #17, so it's not like it went very far. Surprisingly, there was a time in which James was also used for girls. It peaked in the 1920s at #379. It actually didn't fall out of the charts completely for girls until the 1990s. This would Jameson not only patronymic but also matronymic, meaning that it still means "son of James" but the "James" can be referencing a female ancestor.

James is such a traditional name that it doesn't even read as Pagan to me at all. But obviously it appeals to people and that's why it's still on the charts.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Nameberry recently released a list of baby names that have to do with the color purple. Here's one that they missed.

Violante (pronounced "vee-oh-LAHN-tay") is the variant form of Violanthe and it means "purple flower." Most sources state that it's Latin, but the "anthe" would suggest that it's Greek. It is a relative of other names like Violaine, Yolanda, Yolante, Jolantha, Viola, and Violet.

This name was bestowed on several Medieval princesses and children of nobility. Violante Beatrice of Bavaria was the Grand Princess of Tuscany. She was appointed the Governor of Siena after the death of her husband. Violante Visconti was the daughter of the Lord of Milan and Pavia, and she had very bad luck with marriage. She was betrothed three times (the first was to the third son of King Edward III of England, Lionel of Antwerp) and they all died within two years of the wedding. Violant of Bar was an Iberian (Spanish and Portuguese) Queen who gave birth to six children. But only her daughter, Yolande of Aragon, survived childhood and wound up playing an important role in the Hundred Years War: she financed Joan of Arc's army.

This name also has artist cred. Sor Violante de Ceo was a celebrated poet from Lisbon, Portugal. Violante Beatrice Siries was an Italian painter. "Violante" is also the name of a portrait supposedly by Italian Renaissance artist Titian.

More recently, this is the name of Italian actress and singer Violante Placido. (Two of my most favorite names on one person? What madness is this?) I bring that up because, even though she is not exactly a household name in the United States, she did pose for some revealing pictures for a magazine. That would make the name off-limits according to some. I say so what? You know, as much as I love America, there are time when I think I was born in the wrong country. I think people need to lighten up when it comes to breasts. I've seen photos of her. She looks beautiful and the photos are tastefully done. We're not talking about porn here. And let's not forget that breasts in advertising is nothing out of the ordinary in her native Italy.

Viola may be ripe for a revival, but Violante will probably remain an unusual name in the United States for the time being. Some believe that it sounds too much like "violent," and while I can see that for the variant Violant I think it's reaching for Violante. My only real issue with it is that it is a little bit long, which I think makes it more difficult to pair with a middle name. But that's just my personal aesthetic.

Violante is one of my favorites, although I also love Viola and Violaine. It's hard to pick just one. Pronunciation might be a little tricky, but if you have a passing familiarity with Italian or even Spanish pronunciation it's not that difficult. So if it never becomes popular, more for us unique name lovers I guess.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

A Bewitching Names first is upon us! I've been called upon to help a couple name an impending child! This is exciting! This post turned out to be longer than War and Peace, so grab a snack and stay a while.

Tanya H. is looking for a name for her third child, second son. The father is half Japanese and would like all of his children to have Japanese names. That is not as important to Tanya, but she wants all the sibling's names to "go together." Some of Tanya's favorite names featured on this website include Kitsune,Ryu,Thor,Nokomis, and Mars. The child will have his father's Japanese (or at least it looks Japanese) surname that begins with an S, but the other two children have blond hair and blue eyes. Other concerns that Tanya has is, as much as she loves unique names she doesn't want one that is "too much" or pigeonholes her son into a hyper masculine personality. Their other two children are named Ahmi Moon and Ronin Summit (which are both fantastic, by the way) but they are completely lost finding a name for the third child.

First off, you'd be surprised how many "second son" names there can be in one language. Perhaps they're a bit obvious, but its worth taking a look at them anyway:

Jiro/Jirou. "Second son."Eiji. "Great second son," also "eternity" and "peace."Keiji. "Respectful second son."Kenji. "Healthy second son" or "scholarly second son."Koji. "Shining second son."Seiji. "Refined second son."Shinji. "True second son."Shoji. "Soaring second son."Yuji. "Brave second son."

As nice as those are (and I'm not knocking them) there are many creative options from the Japanese language. Take my possible cons with a grain of salt if you like. If it doesn't matter to either of you, then it doesn't matter.

Baku. If you like Kitsune, you might like Baku. In Japanese mythology, a Baku is a friendly demon that eats nightmares. Possible con: It could sound too much like the Japanese word for "stupid:" baka.Botan. "Peony."Daisuke. "Great helper."Genji. "One thousand." Name of the hero in the first novel ever written: The Tale of Genji.Gitsune. Kitsune might sound overwhelmingly feminine. How about Gitsune? Kuda-Gitsune are mythical tiny fox-like creatures that are used for sorcery.Goro. Love this sound for you! Possible con: It means "fifth son."Hachi. "Eight." Might bring the famous dog Hachiko to mind.Haku. Are you a Studio Ghibli fan? Then you'll like Haku. In Spirited Away, he is the mysterious shape shifting boy/dragon who's name was taken away from him. Spoiler: it turns out his name is Kohaku, which means "amber."Haru. "Spring" or "clear."Hideo. "Excellent man."Hiro. "Abundant," "tolerant," and "generous." And yes, it's a homonym with the other name Hero.Iori. Not sure on the meaning, but I know it's the surname of a Japanese swordsman from the 1600s.Isao. "Honor" or "merit."Jishin. "Earthquake." Possible con: The association of Japan + earthquakes.Kai. Currently well used in the United States, this multicultural name means "ocean" in Japanese.Kazan. "Volcano."Kenshin. "Modest truth."Kin. "Gold." In English, Kin means "family" or "friend."Kirin/Qilin: If you like Kitsune, you might like Kirin. Kirin is the Japanese form of the Chinese Qilin. A qilin is part dragon, part ox, and they are often called "Chinese Unicorns." Possible con: It sounds and looks a lot like Karen or Kristin.Kyo. If you like Ryu, you might like Kyo. It means "apricot," "village," "capital," "cooperation."Noa. "From love." A multicultural name, it is also a popular Hawaiian name meaning "freedom." Yes, it's a homonym for the other name Noah.Mako. Very popular for girls in Japan (thanks a lot, Princess Mako), but it is unisex. This is the name of an Academy Award winning actor who lent his voice acting for the beloved character Iroh in the television show Avatar: The Last Airbender, but died before the third season. For the sequel The Legend of Korra, they gave this name to a prominent character in his honor. I believe Mako means "sincerity." Brings the mako shark to mind.Oboro. A name that pops up a lot in anime and manga. It was also the name of a few combat ships used during World War II. I can't for the life of me find it's meaning.Onsen. "Hot spring."Ren. One of the most popular boys names in Japan in 2010, it means "lotus" or "love."Ringo. A unisex name meaning "apple." Possible con: The Beatles.Tatsuo. "Dragon man," "imperial man," and "far reaching man." Possible con: Tatsuo is the name of a prominent character in the legendary film Akira. I can't imagine that being a practical problem, but if you're familiar with Tatuo's fate in the film I can see how it could be off putting.Tengu. If you like Kitsune, you might like Tengu. In Japanese mythology, Tengu are shape-shifting spirits that can look like humans or large, monstrous birds. Oddly, Tengu means "heavenly dogs."Yogi. This multicultural name refers to someone that practices yoga. Possible con: Bears and baseball.Yoshi/Yoshio. "Happy" or "good." Possible con: Remember Mario's pet dragon?Zen.

Here are some more that are not Japanese but could still work considering the sibling's names and the other types of names Tanya likes (I have to admit that I found this a little more difficult):

And here are some middle name possibilities that should keep a hippy mom happy:

AntlerAuburnBluejayBrave/BraveryBriarCedarCloudCometConcordCoveCoyoteCypressDuneDuskForestFoxFrostGeodeGladeGoldenHarvestHeartHemlockKestrelNight
Noble
NorthOak/Oakley/OaklandOnyx
OceanRavenRiver
RustleSage
Shadow
Spruce
Temple
Vox ("voice" in Latin)WolfWren
Here are my attempts at possible combinations, along with what the name would sound like with the siblings:

Friday, June 1, 2012

There are many ancient cultures and empires, but most history books don't touch upon Ancient Nubia.

Nubia (pronounced "NOO-bee-ah") is derived from the name of the Noba people, who were the nomadic tribesmen that first settled in the area. That area is along the Nile River, one-third into southern Egypt and two-thirds into what is now Sudan. Until recently, historians didn't bother distinguishing between the Ancient Nubian and Ancient Egyptian cultures. Now, Afrocentric scholars are bringing a new focus on this previously overlooked empire. But much has yet to be uncovered.

Ancient Nubia is the earliest recorded Black culture. They share somethings with Egyptians, but mostly they were quite distinctive. One thing that was noticed was that the Nubians had an unusually high number of female rulers. And they were not just any queens, they were warrior queens. There are depictions of them smiting their enemies. Like the Egyptians, the Nubians relied on the flooding of the Nile River for crops, but many of them also remained nomadic.

The Nubians relationship with Ancient Egypt was mostly economic. When you see Nubians in Egyptian art they are usually merchants and tradesmen. The Nubians had gold, ivory, ebony, giraffes, monkeys, leopard and panther furs, ostrich feathers and eggs. They were pretty much Egypt's gateway to the rest of Africa. Other times they warred with each other. They were constantly conquering and reconquering the same territories. Egypt had a lot of Nubian slaves. They also intermarried. The famous King Tut was actually half Nubian.

There are still Nubians existing today, but their culture is very different. The ancient empire split into three parts. Then they were conquered by Christianity, and yet again by Islam. Unfortunately, many of the ancient temples, villages, tombs, and monuments were flooded by the Nasser Lake, which was created by a dam. This makes study very difficult. Of course, there is the usual danger for any American, or any person at all really, going into Sudan.

Not surprisingly, gospel music is a cultural dead zone for Neo-Pagans. But if you love the sound, there's "The Gods Love Nubia" from the Broadway musical Aida. In the musical and the opera on which it's based, Aida is a Nubian princess taken by the Egyptians as a slave. She has a forbidden love affair with an Egyptian general.

I'm a bit surprised that I've never seen Nubia used as a name. Seriously, African Americans should be all over it. Perhaps the association with Sudan might be off putting for a few people. But that's not my first thought when I hear it. My brain bypasses the present and goes for the strength of what it was. It would make a great girl's name.